Kiss Me at Midnight
by xoxoRuflyGirl
Summary: Rufus has to make it to Lily by midnight. Sounds simple, right? It's not. Will he make it on time, or will he and Lily be forced to spend New Years alone?
1. Chapter 1

**_Kiss Me at Midnight_**

**_Chapter 1: The Deadline_**

It was New Year's Eve, and Lily was beside herself. Everyone was angry with her, and she knew that 'everyone' included her husband. Sure he was trying to act like what she did didn't still bother him, but she knew that it did. He just wasn't the same around her.

He seemed to be himself on Christmas, but now she was beginning to think it was only for the sake of Christmas for, right after Christmas, he started to become a little distant.

She'd go to kiss him, and he'd only halfheartedly kiss her back.

She'd joked with him about something and he'd barely muster up a plausible smile.

And, when it came to the bedroom, he was always 'tired', or 'not in the mood', or he had a headache. A headache! And here Lily thought it was only women who used that excuse.

This morning, she had woken up to him not by her side, which was starting to become a regular occurrence since Christmas. It made her sad, for there used to be a time when he'd never let her wake up without her being in his arms, or without a kiss from him.

With a sigh, Lily had showered and dressed for the day.

Eric was in Aspen for the holidays, skiing with Elliot, and Jenny was spending the holidays with her mother.

Seeing as Serena wasn't speaking to her, and Dan wasn't all that thrilled with her either, that left her and Rufus to spend the holidays alone together.

She had a surprise for Rufus.

One time, when Lincoln Hawk was on tour, their tour bus broke down in a remote part of Jeffersonville, Vermont. There was no way the bus could be fixed until morning. It was way too cold to sleep on the bus, but there was a firefighter's convention in town, laving no vacancies in the nearby hotels and motels.

Thankfully, a kind gentleman happened to be passing by, and stopped to ask if there was anything he could do to help. Upon hearing their dilemma, he offered them a cabin to stay in. As it turned out, he and his wife owned a bunch of cottages that they rented out. It just so happened that someone had cancelled at the last minute, and there was an unoccupied cabin.

So, Lincoln Hawk ended up staying over night in the two bedroom cabin.

The rest of the band had been nice enough to give Rufus and Lily the bedroom with the Queen-sized bed.

It was so nice and cozy with a fireplace in the room. They had cuddled up together under the covers, and tried to be as quiet as possible when they made love. Though, that hadn't worked out too well for them.

The band had complained about the noise the next morning.

Rufus had loved the cabin and told Lily he wished they could stay another night. However, their bus got fixed in the morning, and they had to take off in order to make Lincoln Hawk's next show.

They never did get to return to the cabin. Lily guessed Rufus had simply forgotten about it.

Well, three months ago, she had searched online for the heck of it, and ended up finding the man's number. She found out that his son ran the place now that his father was elderly. She told the son the story of what his father had done for Lincoln Hawk, and the son had put his father on the phone. His father had remembered her and the band, and was more than willing to reserve a cabin for them over the New Year. And, as luck would have it, he even remembered what cabin it was he had given them, and made sure to give them that very same cabin.

Lily felt it was a sign that the old man remembered the cabin when she couldn't even remember herself which cabin it had been for sure!

She thanked him profusely and prepaid in full.

That was three months ago, when she and Rufus were still normal. Now, she didn't even know if he would go with her. To top it off, it was a little over a six and a half hour drive. So, they'd have to leave by five at the very least to make sure they got there before midnight. In fact, factoring in any potential problems along the way, and time to enjoy themselves before midnight, they should really leave around three.

It was currently eight in the morning, so she had seven hours to convince him. It sounded like more than enough. But, with the way her husband had been acting lately, she wasn't quite sure if it would be.

She sucked in a deep breath and slowly let it out, then headed down the stairs to find her husband.

R&L

She found him with his back turned toward her, sitting on the couch, reading the paper, and drinking his morning coffee.

She took another deep breath and slowly let it out while trying to work up the courage to talk to him.

_The courage to talk to him? What's wrong with you, Lily, he's your _husband_ for gosh sakes!_

Lily shook the thought from her head. She knew she was being stupid, so she sucked it up, and headed over to her husband. After one more deep breath in and out for courage.

She walked up behind him, and gently massaged his shoulders. "Good morning, My Love."

"Morning," he mumbled before taking another sip of his coffee then setting the mug down on the coffee table and switching to the next page of the paper.

She walked around to the front of him and sat down beside him. She rested her head against his shoulder. "I miss waking up to you in the morning."

"Yeah, well, I wake up early, and don't want to wake you," he said.

"I wouldn't mind if you woke me. Then maybe we could do some morning calisthenics to get us both pumped up and ready for the day, if you know what I mean." She ran her hand slowly up his thigh.

Rufus picked her hand up and set it back on her own lap. "That probably wouldn't be such a good idea with Eric in the house."

"He already left for the day," Lily reminded him.

"Yeah, well, other mornings he is here," Rufus said simply. He was still focused on the newspaper, and hadn't given her a single glance since she had arrived downstairs.

"That's never stopped you before," she noted. "Besides, what do other mornings have to do with this morning?"

Rufus shook the paper straight. "Yeah, well, things change, Lil." He turned the page.

Lily sighed. "Look, if you're still angry with me, just come out and say it, all right? I don't know why we can't just move past this!"

Finally, Rufus set the paper down and looked at her. "You sent an innocent man to prison, Lil, and you don't even seem the least bit remorseful about it. And, not only that, but you sold your stepson slash adopted son's company, and weren't the least bit sorry about that either!"

"I was doing what it took to protect my daughter. I thought Ben had taken advantage of her, and a part of me still thinks he had! If he hadn't gotten involved with her in the first place, it never would have gotten that far, and therefore, what I did never would have happened! And, as for Charles, I didn't know when he'd be back. I thought I was doing what was best fro him. It's not like I was going to keep the money I got for the company. I was going to give most of it to him!"

Rufus laughed. "Most of it?"

Lily sat up straight, her head held high in defiance. "Well, I do a lot of work at Bass Enterprises. Why shouldn't I get a share?"

Rufus held his hands up. "You're unbelievable, you know that?" He stood up.

Lily had tears in her eyes now. She didn't want her husband to hate her. Not now. Not after all they had been through together.

"Rufus, please." She gently stroked his cheek. He didn't move her hand away, so she continued. "I know I've made some horrible mistakes lately. Heck, I've made them my whole life. But, you're the one thing I got right. Please, you have to forgive me. If I lose you, I'll have nothing left."

Rufus took her hand. He held on for it for just a moment before dropping it. "It's not me you need to apologize to. It's Serena, Ben, and Chuck."

Lily nodded. "I already tried to apologize to Serena, but she won't hear it. As for Ben, I still don't think it was all my fault. Some of it was his as well. When he apologizes to me, I'll apologize to him. And, Chuck's out of town right now, and I'd really rather apologize to him in person instead of over the phone."

"Well, it's a start at least." Rufus sighed. "I still don't know if I'm ready to forgive you, Lil. It seems like it's always something with you, isn't it?"

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Lily asked, a little annoyed now.

Rufus looked into her eyes, his own eyes so cold it literally made Lily shiver. "It means that you never learn, Lil. There is always a secret or lie you're hiding from me, and it just gets old after a bit."

Lily sighed."Rufus, I'm sorry. You know why I lied about my cancer. It was stupid, and I promise to never trust William again. And, as for the newest incident, well, I will make things right with everyone—Ben included if that's what it takes to get you to forgive me. And, most importantly, I promise to never keep a single thing from you ever again."

Rufus sighed too. "I wish I could believe you, Lil, but I'm not sure if I can anymore."

Lily placed a hand over his shoulder. "I was going to surprise you, but I guess I'm going to have to tell you. I booked us a weekend at the cabin you love so much. I booked tonight through the day after New Years."

Rufus raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What cabin?"

"The cabin we had to stay at when Lincoln Hawk's tour bus broke down. I remembered how much you loved it, and wished we could stay another night. We never got to. So, I looked it up on the internet, and, as it turns out, the man's son runs it now, but his father still remembers us. He is giving us the same cabin we stayed in that night," Lily explained.

Rufus smiled a bit as the memory came back to him. "Oh yeah. I had forgotten all about that."

"So, it takes six and a half hours to get there, but we'll have to factor in a little more time for traffic and everything. Do you want to go?" Lily asked with a new hope since a smile had appeared on her husband's face.

However, her hope was quickly shot down as the smile disappeared from Rufus' face. "I don't know, Lil. I'll have to think about it. I'm still not sure I forgive you, you know."

Lily sighed. "I'll tell you what. I have a few things I want to do first anyway. Why don't I just go on ahead and, if you can find it in your heart to forgive me, you can just meet me up there? That way, you can have some time to think along the way, and clear your head."

Rufus thought about it for a moment. "I can't guarantee I'll be there."

Lily sighed. "Well, I paid for it in full all ready, so, even if you don't go, I might as well go. Then it can give you some time apart from me, which I'll take it you want if you don't show up."

Rufus nodded. "All right," he said quietly.

"However, if you do decide to go, please make sure you're there by midnight." Lily took his face between her hands. "I want my midnight kiss," she said. Then, working up all the courage she had left in her, she kissed him gentle and sweet.

She then headed upstairs to pack. Rufus didn't say a word, nor did he follow her.

Lily sighed. She really didn't know if Rufus would forgive her or not. She just hoped she wouldn't end up standing in the cabin alone at the stroke of midnight.

R&L

Rufus sighed. "Damn you, Lily," he muttered to himself as he gently touched his lips. It was twenty-one years after the day he met her, and she was still getting under his skin—even more so now.

He had to admit, her little New Years surprise was sweet, and incredibly thoughtful. And that kiss... Well, it made him hungry for more. It had taken every ounce of strength within him to not ravish her right there on the couch earlier when she had her hand on his thigh and was suggesting morning calisthenics. However, he was still a little angry with her. It was bad enough what she had done to Ben, Serena, and Chuck, but to lie to him? Again? That was the part he was having such trouble forgiving her for.

"Well, I'm going to leave now. I hope to see you there," Lily said as she came down with her suitcase in hand. She set a piece of paper down on her desk. "I'm leaving the address here in case you decide to meet me."

Rufus looked at her. He hadn't really paid much attention to what she was wearing this morning, but now he noticed.

She had her hair up in a messy bun, She wore a low-cut, red, silk, ruffly blouse with a black silk pencil skirt that went to her mid thigh. Her blouse was tucked in and secured with a tiny silver belt. Hanging from her neck was a white gold rose. On her wrist, was a chunky white gold bangle. To top the outfit off, she had on black mesh stockings, and red high heals.

Her lips were looking so plump and red he just wanted to kiss them, but of course, he resisted the urge. "Have a safe ride up," he said, knowing her driver would take her. He would take his car, that is, if he decided to meet her up there at all.

She paused, looking as if she wanted to say something to him. Then, she sighed. "I hope to see you up there." She walked over to him and kissed his cheek.

He kissed her cheek in return, only halfheartedly.

She gave him a halfhearted smile, then walked to the elevator, disappearing behind the doors a moment later.

Rufus sighed. He felt like a jerk, but he couldn't help the way he felt. Lily had hurt him, and he didn't know if he was quite ready to forgive her just yet.

He sighed. He needed to go for a walk to try to clear his head. He'd need his heavier jacket for that though, for it was a colder day than usual.

He headed upstairs and to the closet that he and Lily kept their extra coats.

He was searching through the coats when something on top of the closet caught his eye. It was in the back, hidden behind a hat; he almost didn't see it.

"What is this?" Rufus muttered to himself.

He reached for it, and grabbed it. He hoped it wasn't some other secret of Lily's that she was trying to hide from him. There were always secrets with her lately.

He got the box down, and looked into it. It had a bunch of DVDs in it.

He looked through them. Most of them were moments in their children's lives like, "Serena's first steps", "Eric's first word," "Dan's first day of Kindergarten", and "Jenny's first play—_Hansel and Gretel" _(First grade)". But one stood out to Rufus.

He took it out and saw that it was marked "Lincoln Hawk or Bust".

With a slight grin, he turned the television on, and then popped the DVD into the side DVD slot. Then, he turned up the volume, and sat down in the bed to watch.

The first person to flash on the screen was Lily. She was twenty-one years younger, of course, for this was Lincoln Hawk's first tour. She had been so excited to tour with them that she had insisted on making a documentary about their journey.

"This is Lily Rhodes, and this is my documentary on the sexiest band in the world, Lincoln Hawk. Follow me as I give you an inside scoop on what it is like to tour with the sexiest band alive." She looked around the room to make sure that no one was listening, then turned back to the camera. "All right," she said a little quieter, "the truth is, what makes the band so sexy is the lead singer, Rufus Humphrey. The rest of the band is just all right."

Rufus found himself laughing out loud. He didn't even remember watching this ever. If he had, he didn't remember any of it. Though, he had no idea how he could forget something like this!

He couldn't help but watch Lily, and smile throughout the video. She was so beautiful back then. Now, she had grown to be even more beautiful. Now, not only was she beautiful, but she was classy and sophisticated as well.

It felt so surreal seeing his old bandmates on the DVD, looking so young. Heck, _he_ looked so young.

"So, what do you like best about this tour so far?" Lily asked, interviewing him on the DVD.

Rufus on the DVD grinned. "The fact that I get to make love to you whenever I want."

Lily grinned. "Good answer!"

Rufus smiled to himself as he watched the rest of the video.

Lily had interviewed all the band members, and followed them around on the tour bus, getting snapped at by them when she tried to peak at them in the shower or even on the toilet.

"But the fans will want to see it!" she had argued.

Rufus laughed out loud. He missed his gutsy, spunky little Lily. He guessed she was still spunky; just in different ways now.

There was a lot of footage of Lincoln Hawk performing, though it was clear which band member Lily adored. Rufus had gotten most of the air time—even for the songs he didn't sing lead on!

He smirked, and blushed a little when he saw she had panned in on his crotch at one point. "Makes me horny!" she said to the camera.

He covered his mouth and smiled. She was so prim and proper now, he sometimes forgot how she used to be back then.

The video ended with Lily talking to the camera again. "So, there you have it. The joys of touring with the band. There are bad things, and good things, but, I have to say, the good things out way the bad things by far."

"I hope I'm one of those good things," Rufus said, coming up to her, his arms around her waist from behind.

She grinned up at him, and they kissed.

"Mm, video's over," Rufus said, putting his hand over the lens of the camera.

Lily's giggles could be heard, then the DVD went blank.

Rufus sighed, then smiled to himself. "What am I going to do with you, Lil?" he asked. He was about to take the video out when the screen went to switched over to another scene. It was their wedding.

He was mesmerized as he watched it. It had been over a year since they had married, but he still hadn't gotten a chance to watch the DVD of it.

He watched now, remembering how breathtakingly beautiful Lily had looked on her wedding day. _"And I know that our future will be just like us, flawed and fragmented, and filled with more love than I ever thought possible."_

Rufus felt an aching in his heart at Lily's words. He loved her so much, and he knew she loved him.

They were pronounced husband and wife, and Rufus could see how happy they both looked as they kissed.

He grinned, seeing how he didn't want to let her go. That had to have been their longest kiss in history. He was pretty good at kissing, if he did say so himself.

So was Lily.

He didn't finish the video. He turned it off after they had finally broken the kiss. Then, he turned the TV off, and headed to pack. He had a wife to get to by midnight.

R&L

Rufus was all packed and had his car loaded. He was about to take off, then realized he had forgotten the address that Lily had left him. So, with a sigh of annoyance, he headed back into the apartment building, and took the elevator to their apartment.

Once inside, he found the note, then headed out again.

He got to his car, and got inside. Then, he was finally off.

He glanced at the clock. It was eleven. He'd still get there around seven or so. He planned on making a brief stop for lunch in a bit.

He'd drive for an hour, then stop.

And so began his long drive. He found himself wishing he hadn't been such a jerk earlier. Had he not been a jerk, he could have had Lily by his side right now, and they could have driven up together.

He turned on the radio, and cranked up the volume. At least he'd have his favorite singers to keep him company.

He drive for a good half hour, singing along to the radio. Then a light caught his eye. He was running low on gas.

He sighed. Dan was usually more responsible than that. Dan had been the last to use the car, so it had to have been him that didn't refill the gas tank.

"Darn it, Dan! You choose _now_ to be irresponsible?" Rufus asked. With a sigh, he found a gas station, then stopped for gas. He hadn't wanted to have to stop until lunch.

He got out and filled the gas tank, hoping he didn't have any other unexpected surprises along the way.

R&L

The car ride to the cabin was lonely. Lily's driver had stopped at a deli so that Lily could get a quick lunch on the way. She had gotten it to go so that she didn't waste any time getting there.

Finally, she arrived. She had already paid the driver for his time, but she left him a generous bonus when he helped her with her bags.

"Thank you, Ma'am. Will you be needing a ride home on Sunday?" her driver asked.

"May I call you tomorrow and let you know?" Lily asked him. "My husband might be joining me tonight, and, if he does, he will be giving me a ride home."

The driver nodded. "Certainly, Ma'am. If I don't hear from you tomorrow, I will assume you don't need a ride."

Lily smiled at him. "Thank you, Giles."

After Giles left, Lily headed into the cabin, her bags in hand.

Once she got into the cabin, she couldn't help but smile. It looked exactly the way she had remembered. There was the couch Bobby had slept on, and the two twin beds, the rest of the band had crammed into.

She looked inside the master bedroom, and smiled even wider at the sight of the big, Queen-sized bed.

She took off her shoes and coat and put them in the closet. Then, she pulled the covers back and climbed into bed.

Then, she quickly pulled the covers up over her body, and closed her eyes. She just needed to rest a bit, then she would get things ready for the night. She just hoped Rufus was there to enjoy it with her. Otherwise, there would be no New Years celebration for her.

R&L

After getting gas, Rufus had decided to drive until he was halfway there before stopping for lunch.

Finally, at around two thirty, he stopped at a diner for lunch. He enjoyed his lunch, and then headed out to go the rest of the way to the cabin.

He could hardly wait to see his wife again. He wanted to apologize to her, and make sure he never upset her to tears again. The visions of her almost in tears when he was so cold to her this morning was enough to break his heart now.

He figured once he was almost there, he would stop at the store and buy her flowers and chocolates. Then, when he got to the cabin, he would make it up to her in a way that only he could.

He smiled at the thought, and continued driving toward his destination.

However, a half hour later, he was doing anything but smiling when his car suddenly stalled.

"What? No!" He quickly got his car to the side of the road, and just in time at that. It died right after he got to the side of the road. "Come on! Not now of all times!" he exclaimed, angrily slamming his hands on the steering wheel. He had just gotten his car fixed up and restored too. The men who had fixed it up either owed him some money back, or Dan had accidentally done some damage to the car and had neglected to tell him.

"I don't have time for this crap!" he exclaimed as he dialed AAA to come get him and his car.

They said they would be there in a half hour.

"A half hour? Great! Just great!" Rufus muttered upon hanging up.

He looked at his watch. It was four o'clock. He had eight hours to get two and a half hours away. It seemed like more than enough time, but, with AAA, one never could know for sure.

All he knew was that his car better not have something seriously wrong with it. Otherwise, he was going to be in trouble. Big time.

R&L

AAA didn't end up coming until an hour later. Rufus was livid, but he didn't want to pick a fight with someone whose help he so desperately needed, so he kept his mouth shut about it.

AAA towed his car, and gave him a ride to the garage.

However, it didn't make much of a difference, for he was then informed that he needed a new engine, and that it was going to be Monday before the part would be in.

This only made Rufus more livid. He had just gotten a new engine put in! Once he got back to New York, he was going to have to go to the garage he had had it put in and give them a piece of his mind. But, before that, he was going to have to find a ride to the cabin.

"You don't per chance have a car I could borrow until Sunday or Monday, do you?" he asked the main mechanic.

The mechanic laughed. "Sorry, but we're a garage, not a car rental place. The closest car rental place around here is an hour away."

"Well, what about a taxi company?" Rufus tried next. It would be expensive, but worth it to take a taxi to the car rental place.

The technician shrugged. "Sorry. That's a good hour away too. The only thing we have in this crappy little town are a couple restaurants, a twenty-four-hour diner, a Walmart, a gas station, and of course this garage."

Rufus sighed. _Now_ what was he going to do? He guessed there was only one thing he _could_ do—hitchhike.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Kiss Me at Midnight**_

_**Chapter 2: The Destination**_

It was five o'clock by the time Lily woke up. She got up and went to the bathroom, then, she washed her hands and remade the bed before heading back into the main room.

She opened the suit case that she had used to pack the supplies for tonight, and took everything out. She had gotten mini cocktail wienies, sweet and sour sauce, Champaign, gouda cheese, crackers, pepperoni, rye bread with a special dipping sauce, and she had even bought the fondu pot and utensils with the cheese, bread, and fruit needed for it. For dessert, she had brought strawberries and a container of chocolate to go with them, as well as a small can of whipped cream.

The cabin owner had informed her that the cabin already had the silverware and Champaign flutes she and Rufus would need. That is, if Rufus were to show.

Besides the food and drinks, she had brought party hats, confetti, and horns to bring in the new year. There were even some candles and a lighter.

She brought the food and drink supplies into the kitchen, and began to prepare the food. She just hoped she wouldn't be eating alone tonight.

R&L

"Thank you for picking me up. I guess no one likes to pick up hitchhikers anymore. I was waiting out there for a half hour!" Rufus said to the kind woman who had picked him up. He rubbed his arms with his hands. "It is really freezing out there!"

The woman smiled at him, and turned the heat up a bit. "Don't mention it! I'm surprised no one else picked a handsome man like you up." She winked.

Rufus blushed. "Thanks. I guess there aren't enough female drivers on the road today," he joked.

"Probably!" the woman said with a smile. "So, where ya headed?"

"There's a rental car place an hour from here. The mechanic gave me the address." Rufus took out the folded up piece of paper from his wallet and read the address.

The lady smiled. "Ah, yes, I know right where that is! And, lucky for you, it happens to be along the way to where I'm headed. I'm headed to visit an old friend of mine from college. We haven't seen each other in years, so it will be good to see her again. I'm Shelley, by the way."

Rufus smiled as well. "That will be nice! And, I'm Rufus."

"It's nice to meet ya, Rufus!" Shelley said. She had a bit of a southern drawl to her voice.

Rufus smiled at her, and politely nodded. "It's nice to meet you too, Shelly. Where ya from? I detect a bit of a southern accent."

Shelley grinned. "South Carolina, born and raised. I've actually been driving from there to see my friend who now lives in New Hampshire."

Rufus whistled. "Wow, that's a long drive!"

Shelley shrugged. "Eh, it's not so bad when you stop at a hotel a couple nights. Besides, it's worth it to me. I'm deathly afraid of flying, so I'd rather drive anyway. I like being able to come and go when I please, so trains and busses are out as well."

Rufus nodded. "Whatever's right for you!"

They made small talk for the next fifty minutes. Shelley told Rufus about her college years and her friendship with the friend she was going to visit, and he told her about his children, and about how he was supposed to meet his wife tonight, but kept running into problems. He told her how important it was to be there for his wife since they had fought earlier.

"Ah, I'm sorry to hear about your problems with your wife. It's sad when that kind of thing happens, ya know?" Shelley asked.

Rufus nodded. He suddenly felt weird for venting to another woman about his problems. A woman he had only just met nonetheless.

He jumped when he felt a hand caressing his thigh.

Shelley giggled. "I didn't mean to scare you. Has it really been that long since you've had the touch of a woman?"

Rufus looked at her, his cheeks crimson from blushing. "Actually, just this morning I did. Look, Shelley, I appreciate you giving me this ride and everything, but I love my wife. Sure she and I were having some issues, but I love her very much! That's why I'm going to see her tonight."

Shelley immediately removed her hand. "I'm sorry, Rufus. It's my fault. I just get lonely some times, and start seeing things that aren't really there when a good looking man such as yourself pays me any attention.

Rufus smiled. "It's all right. I understand." For being a woman in what looked to be her mid thirties, who had long blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and flawless skin, he was sure she'd find a man soon. In fact, he was surprised she didn't have one already. "I'm sure a beautiful girl like you will have a man who loves you in no time. You just gotta be patient," he told her.

She smiled. "You're sweet, Rufus."

"Well, it's the truth," Rufus assured her.

They drove in silence for the next five minutes, then, finally, they arrived in the lot of the car rental place.

"Thank you so much for the ride. Here is some money for your troubles." Rufus reached in his pocket and handed Shelley a twenty.

Shelley waved it away. "Nope! I will not take your money. Us southerners like to do nice things for nice people without getting anything in return. It's our southern hospitality." She winked at him.

"Are you sue? I won't tell if you don't!" Rufus winked, still holding the twenty out to her.

She shook her head and smiled. "Goodbye, Rufus."

Rufus pocketed the money. "Goodbye, Shelley. And thank you."

"Thank _you_," Shelley said.

Rufus smiled at her, then shut the door.

They waved at each other, then Shelley took off.

Rufus smiled to himself as he headed to the door. He looked at his watch. It was seven o'clock. He had an hour and a half left of traveling. He could get the car and make it to the cabin in plenty of time.

He went to pull the door open, and it wouldn't budge. "What the?" he asked. And then he saw the sign on the door. _Closed for the holidays. Will reopen January 2nd._

"Dang it! Why didn't they tell me that at the garage?" he yelled out loud.

He screamed. "If it's not one thing it's another!"

He sighed. Well, even though things looked bad, he could't let Lily down. He had to get there no matter what. Even if he had to walk. Though, who knew if he'd make it by midnight if he had to walk.

With another sigh, he headed out of the parking lot, and down the road with his right thumb standing upright. If he wanted to make it to Lily on time, it looked like hitchhiking was his only option—_again_.

R&L

Lily sighed as she sat at the table, eating her fondu and snacks alone.

It's funny. She used to love fondu. She loved spearing the different foods and dipping them into the cheese, and play fighting over who got the last piece of bread to dip in. She loved the whole experience of sharing everything that was on the table. Now, as she sat by herself, having to share with no one, it didn't feel good. In fact, it took away the whole fondu experience. Had she not wanted to waste the food, and had she not been so hungry, she would have just skipped dinner all together.

She still had hope that Rufus would arrive, but now, she had to admit, her hopes were dwindling just a bit. For things really weren't looking good.

R&L

It was seven forty-five by the time a kind soul picked him up. This time it had taken forty-five minutes for someone to pick him up. He wished these weren't dangerous times when it came to picking up hitchhikers. He supposed that is why nobody had wanted to pick him up. Well, between that and the fact that people just did't have any time lately. Nobody wanted to be bothered.

"Hey, Honey, come on in!"

"Oh! Thank you so much! I have been walking for forty-five minutes, and it is so freezing out there." Rufus got into the truck, and shut the door. He latched his seatbelt, then looked over at who his friendly Samaritan was. He saw that it was a good looking guy who appeared to be in his late twenties. He was blonde with green eyes, and was very well dressed.

The boy smiled at him. "Honey, the pleasure is all mine, trust me. I like the company when I drive. "So, where are you headed?"

Rufus handed the boy the address. The boy was clearly gay, but Rufus didn't care. The boy could be into boys, into girls, into animals, he really didn't care just so long as the boy got him to Lily safely on time.

The boy looked at the address. "Ooh! I know that place! Fancy smancy. It just so happens that I'm going right around that area to meet up with some friends! We're all going to go skiing tomorrow." He handed Rufus the paper back.

Rufus stuffed it back in his pocket, and smiled at the boy. "Thank you so much! I'm really glad you don't have to go out of your way at all."

The boy grinned. "Trust me, you'd be worth going out of my way for."

Rufus blushed a little and grinned shyly, suddenly feeling extremely uncomfortable. It was all right though. The boy could hit on him all he wanted just so long as he (Rufus) was able to kiss his wife at midnight.

"So, what are you headed to the cabins for?" the boy asked. "I'm Johnny by the way. And you are?"

"I'm Rufus. It's nice to meet you. I'm actually on my way to meet my wife. She and I have been having some tough times lately, so this is kind of our way of putting the past behind us and just remembering how much we love each other."

"Oh, how sweet." Johnny's tone just dropped a bit of sweetness.

They drove in silence for a bit.

Rufus couldn't take the silence, so he tried to lighten the mood. "You know, you have an incredible sense of fashion. I love that sweater! And the way you paired it with that scarf? Pure genius. You should be in a magazine or something."

Johnny grinned at him, then put his eyes back on the road. "Thank you! You really think so?"

Rufus nodded. "You certainly got the good looks and sense of style for it!"

That worked. Johnny blushed. "Well, I secretly have always wanted to be a model. The sweater and scarf are both by Armani."

"Well, you should totally model for Amani then. I bet people would by the catalogue just to see you in it. And they'd buy anything you wore because you'd make it more appealing." Rufus knew he was laying it on pretty thickly, but he needed to keep Johnny in a good mood. He needed Johnny to give him a ride to Lily.

Johnny giggled. "Would you be one of those people?"

"You know it!" Rufus stated.

This seemed to work because, for the next hour, Johnny was as friendly as could be. He shared his dreams with Rufus, and Rufus, being in a good mood since it looked like he was finally going to get to his wife, shared some of his own dreams.

Then, just as the old saying goes, what comes up, must come down.

The car started to sputter, and Johnny pulled over. "Uh oh. It's been doing this all day. I thought I'd make it to my destination before it gave out, but I guess I was wrong."

Rufus looked at him. "Wait, what? What's wrong?"

"Well, I wasn't going to waste money on this piece of junk when I didn't have to. New Years is my birthday, and I know for a fact that all my friends chipped in to get me a new car for my birthday, and that it's going to be waiting for me when I meet them at our log cabin. You see, I overheard my friend Luke on the phone with our friend Rafe talking about how he was just gong to drive the car that they and the rest of our friends got me for my birthday down so that it would be there for me when I arrived," Johnny explained.

"Point being?" Rufus asked, trying his best to stay calm and keep his tone in such a tone that wasn't rude. He just really wanted to know why they were not moving when he was only a half hour away from being with his wife!

"Point being, even though I knew this car was on it's last leg, I didn't want to waste the money on it. I knew that I'd have a new car anyway once I got to the cabin. I thought I'd make it to the cabin at least. Unfortunately, it didn't last quite as long as I hoped," Johnny explained.

Rufus sighed. "So, now what?"

Johnny whipped out his cell phone. "Well, there's nothing we can do but wait for AAA. It could take a while. I know from past experiences that AAA, that this area is slow as molasses!"

Rufus sighed, and crossed his arms over his chest. "Tell me about it!" Great. Now who knew if he'd make it to Lily on time? He just hoped AAA wouldn't take forever and a day. Good luck with that.

R&L

Lily downed some of the cocktail weenies and sweet and sour sauce. Then she ate some crackers, pepperoni, and gouda while she drank some Champaign. She was on her second glass. She didn't want to get drunk in case, by some miracle, Rufus showed up. So, she switched to water after that, moved onto the rye bread and dip, and continued to eat away her sorrows. Or at least try to.

R&L

"I've been doing all the talking. Do you have anything to say? I'm sorry. I did't mean to do all the talking. I can just get talkative when I get the chance to be," Johnny said as they waited.

Boy was _that_ right! It had been an hour and fifteen minutes, and AAA still hadn't shown up. And Johnny hadn't _shut_ up. He went on and on, talking about everything from past boyfriends, to the latest fashion trends that he just _had_ to get before anyone else did. Rufus had grunted here and there to be part of the conversation, but he really hadn't been able to get a word in edgewise. Not that Johnny had seemed to mind. The boy loved to talk!

Rufus smiled weakly. "It's okay. I prefer to listen sometimes." He wasn't really in the mood to talk anyway. It was now ten o'clock and counting. He had to get to Lily. He was so close, yet so far! In this weather, he knew that there was no way he could walk a thirty minute drive and get to Lily by midnight. "It's so cold!" he then said, rapidly rubbing his arms. The engine had died, and so the heat had gone with it of course. "What is with me and cars that the engine dies?" He had explained to Johnny earlier about his own car's engine dying.

"Well, actually, I have a confession to make," Johnny said with a blush.

Rufus looked at him. "What?"

"I didn't really call AAA. I pretended to dial and was talking to myself. My car's engine didn't really die. I just wanted an excuse to talk to you longer." Johnny blushed. "Sorry."

Rufus couldn't believe him. "You're _sorry_? You made me sit in this car for an hour and fifteen minutes, freezing my butt off and listening to you blabber on and on when I could be warm in a cabin with my wife? Are you insane?"

"Well, excuse me for wanting to spend time with you!" Johnny snapped, his arms crossed over his chest.

Rufus through his hands in the air. He couldn't believe this. It was unbelievable. Of all the rotten luck he was having! "Johnny, I am not gay, all right? I have a wife, whom I love very much! I don't love men in the slightest. Even if I weren't married, which I happily am, I would never date a man!"

Johnny looked at him. "But the things you said to me didn't seem that way. You said I was good looking and you'd buy the catalogue and clothes if I was in the catalogue!"

"I was just trying to get you in a good mood so that you'd get me to my wife!" Rufus yelled.

Johnny suddenly got tears in his eyes.

Rufus instantly felt bad. "Johnny, look. I'm sorry, all right? I wasn't lying when I said you are good looking and have a great sense of style. Heck, I know for a fact that gay men would certainly buy the catalogue if you were in it—and the clothes! You'd make a great catch for someone. Just not me, a straight man."  
Johnny sighed. "All right. I'm sorry. It's just after ten right now, and there is only a half hour to go. I can get you to your wife in plenty of time."

Rufus put his hands together, and sighed a sigh of relief. "Thank you!"

Johnny tried to start the engine, but it wouldn't start.

Rufus looked over at him. "Why isn't it starting?"

Johnny blushed. "I guess my car really _did_ stall this time."

"You're kidding me," Rufus stated.

Johnny shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I'm not joking this time. It really won't start! I may have lied about it stalling the first time, but everything else I told you was true. I do have a new car waiting for me at the cabin with my friends, and I really did think this piece of crap would at least last until I got to my destination!"

Rufus let out a cry of frustration. "Damn it! Now how in the hell am I supposed to get to my wife?"

Johnny was quiet for a moment before speaking. "Well, I'm sure you don't want to wait for AAA."

"I don't!" Rufus snapped. "But what choice do I have?"

"Well, I'm not sure if you noticed or not, but I have a snowmobile in the bed of my truck. It has a full tank of gas. If you leave me the address of your cabin, I can lend you the snowmobile tonight, and pick it up tomorrow. Then you can just take the snowmobile to meet your wife while I wait for AAA to arrive," Johnny explained.

Rufus looked at him. "You'd do that for me? A complete stranger?"

Johnny nodded. "To make up for lying to you and making you sit in the cold car for over an hour."

"Oh my gosh, thank you so much, Johnny!" Rufus said, wanting to kiss Johnny, he was so happy. Then again, that probably wasn't such a good idea. So, he settled for offering him money instead. "Here's a hundred dollars for lending me it." He handed Johnny a crisp hundred dollar bill with the cabin address.

Johnny pocketed both. "Thanks!"

Rufus smirked. Johnny certainly wasn't like Shelley. He hadn't even refused the money the first time, which is usually what someone did to be polite. Oh well, as long as he got to Lily on time, Rufus really didn't care.

So, Johnny got out of the car with him, and helped him get the snowmobile out of the truck, and onto the road.

"Good luck! And drive safe!" Johnny said to Rufus after showing him how to drive it.

"Thanks! I will," Rufus said, tightening the helmet Johnny had given him to borrow.

He turned on the engine, then, with a wave to Johnny, he was off.

_Finally!_ Rufus thought. _I'm finally going to be with my wife and kiss her at midnight._ "I'm coming, Lil! I'm coming!" he said out loud.

He sped down the road for a good ten minutes before he heard the sirens, and moments later, saw the flashing blue and red lights. "What the?"

An officer pulled up beside him. "Pull over!"

Rufus pulled over to the side of the road, and shut the engine off, wondering what the heck the problem was now.

"Where did you get that?" the officer asked, nodding at the snowmobile.

"A friend of mine lent it to me for the night," Rufus explained.

The officer shook his head. "Well, that's not what _he_ said. That snowmobile has been reported stolen. We got the call ten minutes ago. I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to come down to the station with me."

"What? No! He lent it to me! I didn't steal it! He even has the address to pick it up at tomorrow!" Rufus exclaimed.

"Sir, I'm afraid you have no choice. You're under arrest," the officer stated.

Rufus couldn't believe his bad luck. Well, it looked like he was going to miss kissing his wife at midnight, and she would think he still hadn't forgiven her.

Un fricken believable.

The police officer cuffed him, and he drooped his head in defeat.

R&L

Lily sighed as she lay under a fleece blanket on the couch, watching the New Year's Eve special on TV. She guessed Rufus wasn't coming. Sure there was still a chance that he could be there, but she highly doubted it if he wasn't there by then.

She hated how everyone in the audience was so happy and carefree, cheering and smiling. And of course the hosts and special guest performers were bursting with happiness as well. Not that she wanted everyone to be as miserable as she was. Still, it didn't mean she wanted to see their happiness thrown in her face.

She sighed. She wasn't looking forward to the new year at all now that she was unsure of hers and Rufus' future.

"You've gone and done it, Lily," she muttered to herself. "You managed to lose the best thing that ever happened to you, just like you lose everything else good in your life."

A lone tear slid down her cheek as she continued to watch the New Year's Eve special, feeling more lonely than ever before.

R&L

"This is ridiculous! Come on! You've been holding me in here for a half hour! I only have forty-five minutes left to get to my wife. Please let me out of here!" Rufus yelled from the holding cell, his hands squeezing the bars so tightly, his knuckles started to turn white.

"I'm sorry, but we can't let you out. You stole a snowmobile. And, in case you don't know, stealing is against the law," the officer said to him.

Rufus squeezed the bars even tighter, and tried to remain calm. "For the last time," he said in a calm and even tone, "I did not steal the snowmobile. The guy said I could borrow it for the night."

The officer shrugged. "I'm sorry, but it's his word against yours. Besides, all thieves claim someone said they could 'borrow' whatever is it they took."

"But I'm not a thief! I've never stolen anything in my life!" Rufus yelled.

Before the officer could respond, Johnny came into the station.

"Johnny! Tell them the truth. Please!" Rufus yelled.

Johnny smirked, and walked over to him. "I bet you're sorry you were so mean to me now, huh?"

Rufus sighed. "Is that what this is about? I apologized! I'm sorry I snapped, all right? I was just frustrated because I really wanted to get to my wife. I was a jerk to her, and really need to apologize to her."

"You could have at least talked to me, you know. You didn't need to snap at me. There are nice ways of saying things. Snapping at me first and being mean kind of takes away from the kinder words later. You should use kind words and only kind words," Johnny told him.

Rufus nodded. "I agree. I was a jerk. I'm sorry. Please, Johnny. Haven't you ever been in love?"

Johnny crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't believe in love. It never works out for me."

"You just need to find the right guy; that's all. A nice, _straight_ guy. You'll find love one day. I'm sure of it! Just because you've come across a few idiots in your life that are too stupid to appreciate you and all of your amazingness doesn't mean that there aren't still some hot guys out there who will." Rufus was desperate now. He had to get Johnny to drop the charges so that he could get out of there! However, he did mean his words to Johnny. He wasn't even angry now. All he wanted was to be with his wife.

Johnny sighed. "I don't know."

"Please, Johnny. Drop the charges? Forgive me for being a jerk and know that you will find a love like mine and my wife's someday?" Rufus asked. He waited in anticipation. Johnny was staring at him, and it was making him nervous, for Johnny was his only hope.

Johnny sighed, and rolled his eyes. "Oh, all right! I still don't think I'll lever find love, but, in the spirit of the new year, I'll let you go. It wouldn't be right to keep you in here for something you didn't do, and I don't want karma to come around and bite me in the butt. I have enough bad luck going around lately as it is."

"Yes! Thank you so much, Johnny! You rock!" Rufus said.

"Only because I'm doing something nice for you," Johnny muttered, his arms still crossed over his chest.

Nevertheless, Johnny confessed to the officer that Rufus was the one who was telling the truth.

"You could be in a lot of trouble for lying, you know," the officer told Johnny.

"I'm not gonna press charges on Johnny." Rufus, who had now been unlocked and let out of the cell, looked at the officer. "Or against the Vermont Police Department for falsely arresting me. That is, as long as you let Johnny go and forget this whole thing ever happened."

The officer thought about it for a moment, then shrugged. "What the hell? Why not? It saves me the paperwork."

Johnny grinned, then politely nodded his thanks at Rufus. "Thank you."

Rufus pat him on the shoulder. "Now we're even."

Johnny smiled at him, then looked at the officer. "Hey, I know it's a lot to ask, but, since you falsely arrested him, do you think you could give him a ride to his wife? It's only twenty minutes away from the station. He promised her a kiss at midnight, but he'll never get to her on time if he doesn't leave now." Johnny handed the officer the piece of paper with the address on it that Rufus had given him earlier.

The officer looked at Rufus, who now had a look of hope on his face.

He sighed, then looked over at his buddy, who was sitting at his desk a few feet away. "Hey, Jake, do you think you it would be all right if I took him to see his wife? I'll be back in an hour at the very latest.

Jake nodded, and waved him away. "Go ahead. It's a slow night anyway."

"Thanks!" the officer said. He then turned to Rufus, and nodded toward the door. "Let's go."

"Thank you so much! You have no idea what this means to me!" Rufus looked at his watch. It was eleven thirty. "I just hope we can still make it by midnight."

"We'll get there. I'll turn the sirens on," the officer said with a wink.

Rufus grinned. "Thanks!" He turned to Johnny, and nodded at him. "What about you? How are you going to get home?"

Johnny held his cell phone up. "My friend's on his way to pick me up." He handed Rufus the hundred dollar bill back. "Here. I don't deserve this."

Rufus hugged him then kissed his cheek. "Sure you do. Keep it for your birthday. Happy New Year, Johnny, and Happy Birthday as well."

Johnny touched his cheek, and grinned. "Happy New Year, Rufus. Now go! Go be with that wife of yours. She's lucky to have you."

Rufus smiled. "Thanks! And any guy that you find will be lucky to have you." He then turned on his heel, and quickly followed the officer out the door.

He got into the passenger side of the squad car, and soon they were off. He just hoped _this_ car's engine wouldn't die as well. The old saying says that the third time's the charm. He hoped that was right in this case.

R&L

Lily woke up with a start. She had had one of those dreams where she was falling, and it actually felt like she _was_ falling.

She looked at the clock, hoping she hadn't missed the stroke of midnight. She hadn't. It was 11:55. There was five more minutes.

She looked around to see if, by some miracle, her husband had showed up.

Her heart sank when she realized she was as alone in the cabin as she had been when she arrived.

With a sigh, she got up, and headed to the kitchen. She could use another glass of Champaign after all.

R&L

"Really? We have to stop at a stop sign?" Rufus whined.

The officer glanced at him. "Hey, I'm a cop. I have to at _least_ abide by the rules that help to keep others safe."

Rufus sighed, but nodded his understanding.

It was 11:58. He was so nervous!

Finally, they pulled into the cabin lot at 11:59.

"Here it is, cabin eleven. You better go now. Go! Kiss that wife of yours!" the officer said.

"Thank you so much! Happy New Year!" Rufus said, slamming the car door shut before he could hear the officer's response.

He then ran toward the cabin door, hoping Lily hadn't locked it.

R&L

The countdown had begun.

Lily took another sip of her Champaign as she stood watching the television, and waiting for the ball to drop. Though, she couldn't even manage to muster up even an _ounce_ of the excitement that the crowd had. Her husband wasn't there, and obviously he couldn't forgive her for what she had done, so what was the point in being happy?

She took another long swig of her Champaign as the crowd on TV continued to count down to the new year.

"Five, four..."

The door suddenly slammed open.

"Three..."

In rushed Rufus.

"Two..."

He grabbed the glass from Lily's hand, set it down, then pulled her in for a hard and passionate kiss.

"One! Happy New Year!"

Lily sighed into the kiss, her whole heart content. "You made it," she said with a smile after finally breaking the kiss a moment later.

Rufus grinned at her. "You didn't think I'd actually miss the chance to kiss my beautiful wife at midnight, did you?"

Lily smiled. "I was hoping you wouldn't, but when you didn't show up..."

Rufus kissed her again, then broke the kiss. "I'm so sorry I've been such a jerk to you. I love you, and I forgive you. I just hope _you_ can forgive _me_."

Lily shook her head. "There's nothing to forgive. What I did was wrong. I know that now. And, I promise you, I won't stop until I make it up to Ben, Ben's family, Serena, and Charles. And _you_, for all the times I lied. I promise you, I'm never going to lie to you again. From now on, no more secrets, and no more lies."

"Sh, I know." Rufus stroked Lily's cheek ever so gently, and they kissed some more.

Lily shivered then, and Rufus remembered he had left the door open.

He grinned. "Excuse me." He headed over to close the door, but stopped when he saw the officer in his car.

The officer put his thumb up and raised an eyebrow.

Rufus nodded, smiled, and put his own thumb up in answer to the officer's silent question.

The officer grinned, then drove off.

Rufus shut the door, then walked back over to his wife, who had shut the television off.

He sighed. "I'm _so_ sorry I'm late. You wouldn't _believe_ what I had to go through to get to you. I had to deal with a rude mechanic, hitchhike _twice_, get hit on by a woman, get hit on by a man, and get arrested. _Then_, I had to ride in a cop car to get to you." He plopped himself down onto the couch.

Lily smirked. "Wait, what? Arrested? And what is this about being hit on?" She sat down on the couch next to him.

Rufus took her into his arms as she rested her head against his shoulder. He then kissed the top of her head, and told her the whole story.

Lily smirked once he had finished the story. "You're lucky Johnny didn't ravish you when you kissed his cheek. And, as for Shelley, I don't know if I wanna thank her for getting you to where you needed to be at the time, or punch her for hitting on you."

Rufus grinned. "I love with when you're jealous."

Lily grinned too, and they kissed.

Rufus licked his lips upon breaking the kiss. "Not to break the moment, but do you have anything to eat? I'm starved!"

Lily laughed. "Do I ever!" She nodded toward the kitchen. "Come on. I'll fix you something." She stood up, and extended her hand to Rufus, who took it, and followed her into the kitchen with a smile.

R&L

After feasting on everything Lily had brought, and after feeding each other the chocolate covered strawberries with whipped cream, Rufus was stuffed, as was Lily.

Rufus looked around the cabin. "I know it's been years, but it seems like we were just here with the band. You know, I saw that documentary you made of Lincoln Hawk on tour and our wedding that was right after it." He took Lily's hand in his own and kissed it. "It's what made me realize what a jerk I'd been."

Lily smiled. "You found it? I was going to give it to you on our anniversary, but forgot all about it. I got the documentary transferred over from VHS, and I added a copy our wedding at the end because I found it fitting."

Rufus nodded. "It was! I looking for my coat, and the box caught my eye. I was glad it did. Though, even if I hadn't seen the video, I still would have come." He took both Lily's hands in his own. "I can't live without you, Lil. I never really could. Once I got a taste of you, there was no turning back."

Lily smiled. "And I could never live without _you_, Rufus. I tried it and it didn't work for me. I'm never going back to being without you. **Never**!"

Rufus' eyes lowered, and they kissed.

"You didn't get a chance to give the master bedroom a good look yet," Lily whispered, after they had broken the kiss.

"I'm only interested in the bed," he said to her.

Lily grinned. "You lock the door, and I'll turn all the lights out."

Rufus nodded.

It took them only minutes to get the door locked and the lights turned off.

Then, Rufus picked up Lily and carried her to the bedroom, where they undressed each other, and made love, their fight long since forgotten.

"I love you, Rufus whispered as he held Lily in his arms after their lovemaking.

Lily snuggled against his chest. "I love you too." They kissed.

Lily grinned as she lay her head against Rufus' chest.

"What?" he asked with a laugh.

"I was just thinking that, this time, we can be as loud as we want. We're in the middle of nowhere after all, with no bandmates to overhear us."

Rufus's eyes darkened with desire. "Good point!" he said before straddling her, and pulling the covers over their heads.

Lily giggled. "Oh, Rufus!" And then, "Oh, Rufus..." her tone turning more serious, and ecstasy filled.

They made love again, both thinking in their heads how this was the best New Years they ever could have asked for.

And both were so happy that Rufus had made it in time to kiss Lily at midnight.

***The End***


End file.
